Sour Cherry
by Seph Meadowes
Summary: Caroline Forbes turned his coven into Yahtzee-playing miscreants. She had to die. Raphael/Caroline. Day #6 of The Month of Caroline challenge. Complete.


_Shout when you wanna get off the ride_  
><em> Shout when you wanna get off the ride<em>  
><em> Shout when you wanna get off the ride<em>  
><em> 'Cause you crossed my mind, you crossed my mind<em>  
><em> Made my blood thump 7-8-9<em>  
><em> Make my heart beat double time<em>  
><em> Now I'm only sour cherry on the fruit stand, right<em>  
><em> Am I the only sour cherry on the fruit stand <em>

** - The Kills, Sour Cherry**

* * *

><p><em>The Big Reveal<em> had made Raphael and most of vampire kind edgy and uncertain when it first happened. Thanks to an idiotic vampire who thought it'd be just fantastic to announce the world that vampires existed, the great vampire secret was not so secret anymore. There were riots of course but their leaders had found an ambassador and were quick to get them diagnosed with a disease. Suddenly, they weren't predators anymore. They were just ill.

It was pathetic. And he'd told Camille time and time again that instead of thanking the Salvatore brothers for revealing them to the humans (Damon the fucking bastard) and made them out to look like invalids (Stefan the other fucking bastard), they should be executing them. Preferably and the slowest, most excruciating manner but no, that didn't happen.

The Salvatore brothers were fucking heroes and they all just had to accept the fact that they were suddenly the newest fascination for these humans. Humans, ever shallow beings that they were, looked up to them like Gods, hoping for a chance at eternal youth and all that jazz. _Twilight_ had totally melted people's brains.

But at least it was easier to feed now. So many girls practically drooled at him to bite their necks like Edward fucking Cullen and it was nice being able to go out during the daytime ever since jewelry makers decided to sell lapus lazuli accessories.

Life wasn't so bad at all maybe.

* * *

><p>Raphael hated Caroline Forbes.<p>

Out of principal because her sire was Damon Salvatore (the bastard of all bastards) and he didn't want anything concerning the vampire around him. Also she was just generally annoying with her chirpiness and 'let's all be friends' crap. She was worse than Lily on a good day and it sickened him. And most of all, Caroline Forbes turned his coven into yahtzee-playing miscreants. And for that alone she had to die.

Ever since she waltzed into their place, bags in hand, pocketful-of-fucking-sunshine smile on her face, he knew she'd be trouble. Her very presence had altered the place and everyone's behavior. There was suddenly laughter (_laughte_r!), Tuesday night game night (yahtzee, scrabble and more, fuck it!) and she absolutely refused to follow orders. Well, really just _his _orders. If anyone else asked, she wouldn't hesitate.

She was so annoying she'd actually caused him to lose his cool a few times. And he _never _lost his cool.

But he couldn't ignore coven law. She had asked for sanctuary and he had to take her in, all her troubles and all. And until she found some place she'd like to stay in more, he was stuck with her.

However, she was new to New York, came from some nowhere town in Virginia and aside from the Manhattan clans, there just weren't anyone else she knew who'd take her in. So, he was stuck with her, probably forever if she never desired to leave.

That thought freaked him out like nothing.

There was no way he was spending the rest of his immortal life with Caroline Forbes annoying him until the end of all time. He'd lose his sanity not even before this millennia was up.

He had to come up with a plan.

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, all his plans proved fatal because even the vampires under his rule absolutely refused to hurt her (troublesome chit that she was made all the other vampires love her) and she was surprisingly good at getting herself out of all the troubles he tricked her into. What was in the water in Virginia?<p>

After another one of his plans bombed quite spectacularly, Caroline came home and went straight to his room, glaring at him like he was the most hateful thing in the universe. Oh joy.

"What is your problem?" She hissed out in anger, her eyes were blazing and she would tear him limb from limb if he gave her the chance.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He answered evenly. He was an expert liar after all.

She scoffed. "Don't pull shit with me, Santiago. I know it was you who ordered those vampires to corner me in that alley."

"Really? Now why would they follow you?"

Her jaw tightened and her hands clenched, trying to contain her fury. "I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"

He shrugged. "I really don't know."

She scowled at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "You're a fucked up piece of work, aren't you?"

"Well, I do strive to please." He deadpanned, fighting back a smirk. Cool was the key.

She looked very near to attacking him now but he wasn't afraid. He was older than her and could take her on easily. But she made no move just glared at him with all the hatred in the world.

"Fuck you." She finally said before turning and walking out of the room.

Well, that went well.

* * *

><p>"Boss, I think you should say sorry–"<p>

He interrupted the other vampire and glared at him dryly. "_Jacob_."

The blond raised his hands and surrender but didn't stop talking. "I'm just saying, boss, what you did was pretty bad and–"

"_Jacob_." He interrupted again. "Do you like having your neck connected to your body?"

"Right, shutting up now."

He delighted at seeing the other vampire gulp in fear and knew he just successfully ended the conversation.

* * *

><p>It was Tuesday, which meant (he shuddered), Game Night.<p>

"Hey boss," Lily greeted him as she saw him enter the large parlor they used. Vampires sat casually on the chairs and floors as they waited for the festivities to start. "We're doing yahtzee again. Wanna play?"

He'd rather tear of both his arms first. "No."

The blue-haired Asian girl just took this in stride and shrugged good-naturedly. "Okay." She turned to help arrange the numerous tables where the yahtzee materials were set up.

Raphael looked around the groups of vampires, the strongest, most beautiful predators in the world reduced to entertaining themselves by playing _yahtzee_. It was a sad, pathetic shame. Their vampiric ancestors were probably giving them the finger from hell, blaming him for letting this happen.

How could he have left Caroline Forbes turned his coven into happy-go-lucky fiends? It was unforgivable.

And speaking of Forbes…

"Elliot," He stopped the younger vampire as he entered the room. "Where's Vampire Barbie?"

But before the other vampire could answer, another person already beat him to the punch. "She's seeing someone." Jacob answered half-heartedly. "Nothing serious, purely physical."

That made him blink. It couldn't have been a vampire, he would've known about it. No , he had to be another species. "What is he?"

"Shadowhunter." Jacob almost looked regretful. Everyone knew he along with Lily were Vampire Barbie's biggest fans, it must sicken him to see her flirting with danger so brazenly. Oh well, if the guy decided to stake her, life would go back to normal for him. "She's dating the angel boy."

And now he thought he missed her.

"Jace…Jace Wayland?"

"The one and only."

That made him think. "Isn't he in love with his sister or something?"

"Yup."

"_Wow_." He really couldn't say anything else.

"Yeah."

He shook his head and laughed. She was an even bigger idiot than he thought.

* * *

><p>"What's this?" He stared in confusion and disbelief at the pamphlet he held in his hands. Forbes was funning him again he was sure of it because she did not just give him a pamphlet for a 'Fledgling meetings' AKA AA meetings for vampires to whine about their emo stories and baggage.<p>

The blonde rolled her eyes and frowned. "The meetings could help you resolve any…bad feelings you may have had in your past and in the present."

The only bad feeling he had was her and she wouldn't leave or be forced out the door no matter what he did.

"I'm not saying you have to go," She reasoned. "_But _it could be good for you."

"Thanks. I'll think about it." He dismissed her with a gesture of his hand and she quickly waltzed out of the door.

He threw the pamphlet in the trash.

* * *

><p>"Forbes, gone again?"<p>

It was Game Night. Again.

And at the rate all the vampires seemed to be enjoying this weekly event, it'd be hard to get rid of it once Forbes was gone. Another dreadful thought, if she'll _ever _be gone.

That was a depressing thought.

Jacob shook his head and smiled sheepishly. "Met some posh rich kid at the fledgling meetings a few weeks back, his name's Nate Archibald."

"And?"

"She hasn't come home to the motel ever since."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Is it anything serious?"

Jacob shrugged. "Not sure. But it's certainly lasting longer than with the Shadowhunter."

Jace Wayland left her flat on her bum for Clary Fray, who turned out _not _be his sister after all.

And now she was fucking some rich kid who spent his parents' money without a second thought. He thought Forbes to be a lot of things but a gold digger wasn't one of them. Guess he got her all wrong after all.

He suddenly found himself upset and he didn't like it. Closing his eyes for a second, he willed the emotions away until his cool façade was back in place. Caroline Forbes was a young vampire with a smart mouth and the tendency to fuck people like some loose shameless hussy. That was it, nothing to fuss about.

"Hey boss?" Jacob said.

And he turned to the blond in question.

"Yahtzee?"

He punched the guy unconscious.

* * *

><p>Caroline Forbes doesn't return to motel for exactly two months now in counting. She'd apparently moved in with the Upper East side and had no plans of returning to them. And probably never would again.<p>

This thought should make him happy. It was what he wanted for so long and he finally got it.

He should be skipping down the halls or dancing on his desk right now.

Instead, he was angry.

* * *

><p>He passed a message to Lily to be given to Caroline. Apparently, they were meeting up at some party near China town and Lily wouldn't dare disobey him. He tried not to think that the Archibald douchebag would be there too.<p>

It was around midnight when she finally arrived at the motel, wordlessly entering his room looking wearier than ever. He tried not to stare at her long legs and how her pale skin contrasted against the blood red of her dress. Put an emphasis on 'try' there please.

She didn't even bother giving him a proper greeting and just crossed her arms over her chest. "What do you want, Raphael?" Her voice was low, tired. "Cause I've had a really long night and I'd like for whatever you wanted to talk to me about go quickly." She considered before adding. "Please."

She was probably just rushing to get back to her Richie Rich boyfriend. Whatever. He tapped down that swelling in his chest that shouldn't be happening. "Archibald got you on a curfew, Forbes?"

For a second, she gaped at him in disbelief. "What?"

"That guy you're living with now." He continued. "Must be an incredibly good lay."

"Raphael, what are you–"

"Better than Wayland even?"

She stopped all protestations at that, staring at him in complete shock, her blue eyes wider than ever. He didn't say anything after that, just glaring at her and daring her to deny.

"How?" She finally squeaked out and he wanted to shake her.

"I have eyes everywhere, Caroline." He answered impatiently and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Are you…are you spying on me?"

"Don't be ridiculous." He scoffed. "You're not worth the trouble."

She sighed and her shoulder sagged, her whole being showing just how exhausted she was. She looked at him again. "Why did you really ask me to come here, Raphael?"

The words were out faster than he wanted them to. He didn't want to even speak them at all but they were the truth and were hard to suppress. "I want you to stay."

"_What_?" She looked genuinely confused and she wasn't the only one.

"Do I really need to repeat myself?" He rolled his eyes before doing so. "Fine. I want you to stay with the coven, Caroline Forbes."

He didn't know when he stopped wanting to get rid of her to wanting her to be there to annoy him until he lost his mind. He didn't know what was wrong with him. But whatever it was, he had a feeling it wasn't going away.

She looked at a loss for words, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. "B-But…but…you…how…_why_?"

He wanted an answer for that himself.

He didn't answer and just moved past her and out of the door.

* * *

><p>He heard her coming after him as soon as he was out of the motel's front door. She'd caught up to him somewhere in lower Manhattan and he'd only stopped walking when he reached the Brooklyn bridge, showing him a great view of the East river.<p>

"Raphael." Her voice, so sweet, he realized called to him. And he liked the way his name sounded on her lips, he decided.

"What?" He asked almost gently, feeling the calmest he had been for once in his undead life. Caroline had that affect of him, driving him insane with anger and then calming him with her presence alone. She drove him to opposite sides of emotions and he didn't know what to do about that.

She was quiet for a moment, her eyes on him and his eyes on the dark river before she spoke again, the words coming out slowly. "Do you love me?"

He didn't answer just turned to her, pulled her close and kissed her roughly. She whimpered against his lips and he deepened the kiss.

* * *

><p>He felt drunk as his hands explored expanses of ivory soft skin, her breathy sighs like music to his ears as he made her body sing in all the right ways.<p>

"I love you." He whispered against the soft skin under her breasts, his lips tasting sweet flesh and he didn't wait for her response before he moved lower and drove her mad with want.

* * *

><p>"This was a mistake." She told him the next morning as she collected her clothes. She'd only barely gotten on her dress and one of her shoes before she started heading to the door.<p>

Her hand paused at the doorknob and she turned back to him. The regret and sorrow in her eyes made his heart twist in pain. "I'm sorry."

And then she was gone.

He couldn't ignore the pain in his chest even with all the willpower in the world.

* * *

><p>He stared at her, his heart (and who knew he had one?) beating loudly in his chest. "What are you doing here?"<p>

"I'm just picking up the rest of my things." She answered quietly. Her eyes still shining with the regret over what they did. It made him sick.

He couldn't even say the…the _boy_'s name. "So you're staying with_ him_ permanently?"

* * *

><p>She shrugged, not sure of what to say. "I don't know. Maybe." She sighed at the awkwardness of the situation and stepped a little closer to where he was standing by the window. He raised a hand to stop her and she stayed where she was. "I just came to say goodbye."<p>

He nodded. He thought as much. He knew he couldn't have her. She was never one to bow down to him, she did what she wanted and he could never control her. She was the most bothersome girl he'd ever met and he admitted to himself, that's why he loved her so much.

"See you around, Forbes." He tried to muster a smile and failed. He wanted for things to end between them amiably but he still couldn't deny just how much this was hurting him.

She managed a smile of her own and it warmed him up inside. "See you around, Santiago."

And she turned to leave but he stopped her.

"Did you ever love me?"

She didn't turn around to look at him as she answered. "For a night."

And that was good enough, he surmised as she left to be with her boy vampire. That was good enough.

But someday…

He smirked.

They had forever after all.

* * *

><p><strong>This is written in the same universe as 'The Runaways' and 'Just Tonight'. If I have ever write a full story in this universe I have no idea who to route for - Nate or Raphael?<strong>

**This was written for Day #6 of The Month of Caroline challenge and I chose to do Raphael/Caroline.  
><strong>


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